One Last Time(12)

I absolutely hate when she’s on shift. When she first joined the police force, I was a nervous wreck. She was required to text me each night after she made it home safe. There was no way I could sleep if she didn’t. I know I’m weird, but it was scary as hell knowing she could be shot.

She finally had enough and told me to take a sleeping pill or get a therapist.

Every now and then, I’m reminded how dangerous her job is.

Instead of freaking out—about Heather’s safety or my meeting Noah—I grab my stuff and head out of the office.

This will be the first time I see Scott since I moved out. I’m part nauseated and part terrified. Our last phone conversation was not good, and the text I got this morning told me to meet him at the house.

Time to find out if that meant the house or his unknown neutral spot in Tampa.





Chapter Five





Kristin





“Mommy!” Aubrey comes flying out the door with a huge grin. “I missed you today!”

“I missed you, too!” I clutch my little girl and rock back and forth.

The thing I love about my job is the time I still get with the kids. I was able to work from home two days this week, and the more I learn about the inner workings of Celebaholic, the more days I can be remote. My actual position may not be what I want, but the hours are kind of awesome.

I urge Aubrey back and smile. “Did you have a good day with Aunt Danni?”

She nods and then whispers in my ear. “She gave us ice cream.”

“She did?” I act shocked.

“She said not to tell you.”

I giggle. “Then we better not tell her you did.”

“Did you tell your mom about our secret?” Danielle asks with a fake angry look on her face.

Aubrey’s hands go behind her back, and she shrugs. “Maybe.”

Danni makes a huge huffing sound and crosses her arms. “Aubrey Nicole McGee, you’re going to get me in trouble.”

“Should we let her off the hook?” I ask Aubrey.

“Yup!”

Danielle laughs and pulls her into her arms, kissing her cheeks while she giggles. Danielle is Aubrey’s godmother, and the two of them are trouble together.

Finn walks out with his backpack on and the phone, which I now think has actually attached itself to his hand, in his view. “S’up, Mom?”

“S’up?” I repeat. “S’up with you, dude?”

That gets his attention. “You’re so not cool.”

“Oh, I’m the coolest mom ever. I’m so cool that you wish you could be my friend.”

Finn shakes his head and smiles. I can’t help but light up a little. He’s been so depressed that it’s good to see a glimmer of the boy I know.

“Aunt Heather is cool . . . you’re not,” he says playfully.

I can’t deny that Heather being with a television star gains her cool points with the kids, but I miss the days when they thought I was the best.

“Well, get your butt in my car before this non-cool mom starts singing and dancing with Aunt Danni.” I raise my brow, challenging him. Finn knows we’ll do it. I have no problem embarrassing him.

He practically sprints toward the door, and a piece of my heart stitches back together. The kids will have their challenges with all of this, but I could use more smiles.

I get Aubrey buckled in and then meet Danielle at the front of the car. “You doing okay?”

“I’m surviving.”

She grips my arm and gives a sad smile. “I want you to know I love you and that I’m proud of you—we all are.”

People have no idea how lucky I am to have my girls. There is no way I could survive without them. I know we all share the same feelings, which makes it that much more special. I would do pretty much anything for the three of them.

“Proud?” I ask.

“Yeah, honey. You left him when Lord knows you should’ve left years ago. I’m proud of you for doing what you have to. It’s been weird because he calls Peter all the time, and . . . I just felt very in the middle.”

Peter is really Scott’s only friend. I haven’t even considered that Danielle would be hearing the other side of it. No wonder she’s been kind of weird.

“I’m sorry.”

She shakes her head quickly. “No. You have nothing to be sorry for. It was stupid, and Peter knows everything now. You don’t have anything to worry about.”

“I wish that were the case.” I smile and then glance back at the car, keeping my voice low. “You know who gave me a hard time about this weekend, and I’m waiting . . .”

Danielle grips her neck and sighs heavily. “He’s going to do it because he thinks he can. He’s pushed you around for so long that he doesn’t know how to handle this new, badass and pissed off woman. Don’t be a doormat ever again—not with him or anyone else.”

“I’m not.” There’s no mistaking the conviction in my tone. He can try, but I’ve had it. This was my first test, and instead of caving to him, I stood my ground. Our time in that house, while we waited for the kids to finish school, was very . . . eye-opening. I saw him for who he is, and the rose-colored glasses shattered. He’s a giant dick and not the good kind.